WaterAid launches mega water project for Liberia,Sierra Leone

Non-profit organization WaterAid has launched a mega water project targeting communities in Libera and Sierra Leone.

The US$7 million mega water project is aimed at providing water to communities in the two countries. Reports indicate that 1.1 million Liberians and 2.4 million Sierra Leonians who are faced with scarcity of water.

A report carried out in 2015 showed a noteworthy global progress in the meeting of Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) target for drinking water. Even so, Liberia and Sierra Leone seem to be behind as per the registered numbers affected by scarcity of safe drinking water.

Patrick Cheah, the WaterAid County director of Liberia, revealed the organiation’s intention in terms of transforming lives from marginalization in both countries by improving access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). The program aims to focus on WASH impact on health, nutrition and schools.

“We will build on the positive cross-border relationships we’ve established with stakeholders, including governments, donors, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and private sector and nurture a profile of service delivery and CSO partnership in order to maximize learning and increase synergy in WASH programming,” said Cheah.

He further added that as a basis for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) , the global strategy to which theirs is linked will have them come back to provide a progress report for the public and partners.

“We are pleased that a Liberian can be a WaterAid Country Director, because only Liberians can solve our problems. The issue of water for rural communities is cardinal and the CSOs are willing to work with all the partners to ensure that we overcome this challenge,” said Augustine Myers, who was speaking on behalf of Liberia, WASH and CSOs.

The organization plans to build positive cross-border relationship established with stakeholders, including governments, donors, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and private sector. They are also targeting the maximization of learning and increase of synergy in WASH programming by nurturing a profile of service delivery and CSO partnership. They are also integrating communities that are around the border, including Gbarpolu, Cape Mount, Maryland and Grand Kru counties. In Sierra Leone they are working in Kenema, Kailahun, among others to alleviate their constraints to access to water,” Cheah said.

WaterAid works in four counties in Liberia and three districts in Sierra Leone, focusing on hard to reach communities and areas where citizens are marginalized in terms of access to water.